EP 2 006 988 A1 discloses an inverter comprising a housing, which comprises at least two housing chambers. The two housing chambers are formed in a common basic body of the housing and can each be closed by a separate cover. Power electronics component parts of the inverter are in this case accommodated in a first of the two housing chambers, while connection plugs and a communications unit are accommodated in the second housing chamber. In this way, it is not necessary for the cover of the first housing chamber to be opened for connection work to be performed, it being possible for the housing chamber to have a higher class of protection than the second housing chamber. Thus, the first housing chamber, in accordance with this class of protection, is particularly protected from environmental influences, in particular from moisture. At least one electrical connection leads into the first housing chamber from the second housing chamber, the electrical connection having the class of protection of the first housing chamber. The electrical connection comprises a female connector, which is arranged in the wall with respect to the first housing chamber and serves the purpose of receiving a male connector.
US 2001/0015583 A1 discloses a converter for an electric motor or transformer. The converter has a junction box comprising passages for electrical conductors and a semiconductor electronics module, which is fastened on the junction box. The semiconductor electronics module has a box forming a radiator, wherein at least one electronic card is cast with thermally conductive resin in the box forming the radiator. At least one connection protrudes from the resin, the connection being accessible via a window in the junction box.
US 2006/0120001 A1 discloses a modular inverter, in which substantially the same inverter functions and application-specific components are distributed on different modules. The modules can be arranged in one or more housing modules. A cooling air channel, which is connected to a fan and is adjoined by the modules of the inverter arranged in the housing module successively, passes through each housing module. Cooling bodies protrude into the cooling air channel from individual modules.
WO 2011/153564 discloses an inverter comprising an upper and a lower housing part, in which electronic components are arranged and which are electrically connected to one another detachably via a multi-part contact-making system. The lower housing part is provided for fitting, in a fixed position, and for connecting the inverter. Owing to the capacity for the two housing parts to be disconnected from one another, the fitter only needs to support the lower weight of the lower housing part during fitting. The upper housing part, on the other hand, has the essential electronic components and therefore also the mass of the inverter and is only connected later to the lower housing part. Replacement of the upper housing part and the electronic components arranged therein is thus also easily possible. However, the mechanical and electrical connection of the two housing parts by means of a rotary element is complex and results in considerable loading of the connecting parts and seals between the two housing parts during connection and disconnection. A cooling air channel in this known inverter is generally arranged on the rear side of the lower housing part and is thus delimited in the fitted state of the inverter by the supporting area thereof and the lower housing part. Cooling bodies protrude from the lower housing part into this cooling channel.
DE 10 2010 017 168 A1 discloses a cooling arrangement for cooling heat-generating component parts, in particular power electronics component parts. In this case, a pressure chamber is defined beneath a removable front wall, with at least two inlet channels leading to the pressure chamber. A fan is provided in each of these inlet channels in order to suck in air and to drive air through the inlet channel into the pressure chamber. A cooling body is arranged in each of the inlet channels, the cooling body forming a cooling body channel for air flowing through and connecting the inlet channel to the pressure chamber. Furthermore, at least one outlet channel is provided, which leads away from the pressure chamber in order to allow the air driven by the fans through the inlet channels and the cooling body channels to emerge. In the event of failure of a fan, a reversal of the air flow direction through the inlet channel assigned to the failed fan is effected in order to allow air to continue to flow through the connected cooling body channel. The power electronics component parts, which may be those of an inverter, can be fitted on the cooling bodies of the cooling arrangement. The air inlets are provided with gratings or sieves in the case of applications outside, in order to protect from coarse impurities.
DE 10 2011 000 706 A1 discloses an inverter apparatus comprising a power unit. The power unit has semiconductor modules and cooling bodies, wherein the cooling bodies are arranged on both sides of each semiconductor module and in a ventilation path for cooling air. The inverter apparatus is built into a vehicle comprising an AC motor.
DE 43 16 999 A1 discloses an apparatus for dissipating heat out of an interior of a switchgear cabinet of a textile machine which is heated by the operation of electrical and electronic devices. In this case, cooling bodies of the electrical and electronic devices are arranged in a cooling air channel, and cooling air conveyed in the cooling air channel flows along the surface of the cooling bodies. Inverter modules are thus inserted into drawers of a switchgear cabinet in such a way that the cooling bodies, in their end position, form a segment of the cooling air channel running between them in each drawer.